This Easy Burrata Bruschetta recipe perfectly blends creamy burrata cheese with fresh, vibrant flavors. This sunshine-on-a-plate recipe bursts with juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy burrata, and herbaceous basil, all atop crispy toasted baguette slices. It's perfect as a delicious appetizer or to serve with a meal!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Versatile recipe: This creamy burrata bruschetta is incredibly versatile. It can be served as an appetizer, a light lunch, or even as a side dish. It pairs wonderfully with our Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad!
- Effortlessly elegant: While bursting with taste, this bruschetta is surprisingly simple to make. With simple ingredients and straightforward steps, it's perfect for a beginner cook or a weeknight meal. Yet, the presentation with the vibrant tomatoes and torn burrata feels elevated and impressive.
- Flavor explosion: The juicy, sweet cherry tomatoes pair perfectly with the salty, gooey burrata cheese, herbaceous basil, and fragrant garlic oil.
What is Burratta?
Burrata is a creamy Italian cheese, known for its unique texture and rich flavor. It consists of an outer shell of mozzarella, encasing a soft, creamy center that blends mozzarella and cream.
Originating from the Apulia region of Italy, burrata presents a buttery and slightly tangy taste, with a melt-in-your-mouth quality. It's often served fresh at room temperature to highlight its lush creaminess, making it a popular choice for salads, appetizers like bruschetta, or simply enjoyed with crusty bread and olive oil.
Burrata and mozzarella are similar but distinct Italian cheeses. Mozzarella, known for its firm yet elastic texture, is made from buffalo or cow's milk. It's famous for its mild flavor and stringy, melt-able quality, making it a staple in dishes like pizza and caprese salad.
Burrata, on the other hand, begins with a shell made of mozzarella but is filled with a mixture of stracciatella and cream. This filling gives burrata its characteristic creamy texture and richer flavor profile.
Stracciatella, found inside burrata, is a combination of shredded mozzarella cheese and cream. The name comes from the Italian word "stracciare," meaning "to shred."
This blend creates a soft, stringy texture with a fresh, milky taste. Stracciatella can be enjoyed on its own - you can find it in many specialty cheese shops use it instead of whole burrata in this recipe if you want.
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil: A good quality olive oil enhances flavor; use your favorite olive oil but using extra virgin olive oil gives a richer taste and aroma.
- Garlic cloves: Fresh garlic imparts a more robust flavor than pre-minced or powdered varieties.
- Baguette: Choose a fresh baguette with a crispy crust and soft interior for the best texture contrast once toasted.
- Cherry tomatoes: These are sweeter and juicier than larger varieties, adding a burst of freshness and color to the dish. Ripe, juicy tomatoes and/or heirloom tomatoes make a noticeable difference in flavor. If you can't find cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes or chopped Roma tomatoes work great as well!
- Fresh basil: Fresh basil leaves bring a bright, herbal note that complements the creaminess of the burrata and the sweetness of the tomatoes. It's best used fresh rather than dried for this recipe.
- Burrata cheese: Burrata can be found in the specialty cheese section of the grocery store.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat the garlic cloves in olive oil over low heat to infuse the oil. Then, brush half of the oil on each side of the bread slices. Toast the bread in the oven on a rimmed baking sheet.
Step 2: Mix the cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and infused garlic oil in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3: Tear the ball of burrata cheese and divide it among the toasted bread slices. Top with the tomato mixture and extra fresh basil, if desired.
Expert Tips
- Handling burrata: Burrata cheese is delicate. Tear it gently with your hands instead of cutting with a knife to preserve its creamy texture. Ensure it's at room temperature for the fullest flavor.
- Serving options: Serve the bruschetta immediately for a ready-to-enjoy appetizer, or let your guests have fun by topping their own toasts, creating a more interactive experience.
- Pump up the tomato flavor: For a caramelized flavor or if you're using out-of-season tomatoes, consider roasting the cherry tomatoes in the oven for 15-20 minutes before assembling the bruschetta. This intensifies their flavor and creates a lovely contrast with the creamy cheese.
- Strain the excess moisture: If your tomato mixture is watery, strain out the excess moisture to prevent soggy bruschetta toasts.
Variations
- Grill the bread: Skip the oven and embrace smoky flavors by grilling the bread 2-3 minutes per side. Just be sure to use sturdy options like ciabatta or focaccia and avoid soft bread varieties.
- Try different types of bread: Instead of a baguette, try using a sturdy Italian bread like focaccia or ciabatta. Remember, avoid overly soft breads, like brioche, that won't support the toppings. Toasted sourdough bread would be another excellent option.
- Cheese options: If you can't find burrata, try fresh mozzarella cheese or ricotta cheese for a lighter touch.
- Extra toppings: Make the bruschetta your canvas and add your favorite flavor combinations! Things like a drizzle of balsamic glaze, olives, capers, honey, prosciutto, minced red onions, pesto, or spicy Calabrian chile peppers all make for delicious bruschetta toppings!
FAQ
Can I make Burrata Bruschetta in advance?
You can prep part of this recipe in advance, but you can't prepare it fully assembled in advance as you'll end up with a soggy mess otherwise. Prep the tomato mixture up to one day in advance and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Pull out your burrata about 30 minutes before serving. Infuse your garlic and toast your bread while you wait for the burrata to come up to room temperature. Then assemble your toppings on the bread right before serving.
What's the best way to serve Burrata Bruschetta to guests?
For a delightful experience, serve Burrata Bruschetta on a wooden charcuterie board as a part of an appetizer spread or as a starter. Present the toasted bread alongside bowls of the tomato-basil mixture and torn burrata. Guests can assemble their own bruschetta toasts, ensuring the bread stays crisp and the cheese retains its creamy texture.
What is the difference between Bruschetta and Crostini?
Bruschetta and Crostini are both Italian appetizers consisting of toasted bread with toppings. The key difference lies in the bread used and the size.
Bruschetta typically uses larger slices of bread like a baguette or ciabatta, ideal for heartier toppings, whereas Crostini are made with smaller, thinner slices of bread, often toasted to a crisper texture, and are topped with more delicate ingredients.
How do I store leftovers?
Keep things separate - store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temp and refrigerate toppings and burrata in sealed, separate containers. Bonus tip: freeze tomato/herb mixtures for future pizzas or pasta sauces!
Why infuse the oil with the garlic instead of just adding raw garlic?
Infusing the garlic into the oil in this recipe gently cooks the garlic to mellow its sharp, pungent flavor. The process ensures that the garlic's flavor is evenly distributed without overpowering the other ingredients.
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Burrata Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 loaf baguette sliced
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1 large handful fresh basil chopped (plus extra for garnish, if desired)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ball burrata cheese 8 ounces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Saute garlic in olive oil over low heat until fragrant but not browned (about 5 min). Remove from heat.
- Brush slices of the baguette on each side with half of the garlic-infused oil. Toast bread in oven for about 10 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through.
- Meanwhile, toss the rest of the garlic-infused oil with the tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Tear the burrata cheese into bite-size pieces and divide among the bread slices.
- Top each slice with the cherry tomato mixture and garnish with extra basil, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Handling burrata: Burrata cheese is delicate. Tear it gently with your hands instead of cutting with a knife to preserve its creamy texture. Ensure it's at room temperature for the fullest flavor.
- Serving options: Serve the bruschetta immediately for a ready-to-enjoy appetizer, or let your guests have fun by topping their own toasts, creating a more interactive experience.
- Pump up the tomato flavor: For a caramelized flavor or if you're using out-of-season tomatoes, consider roasting the cherry tomatoes in the oven for 15-20 minutes before assembling the bruschetta. This intensifies their flavor and creates a lovely contrast with the creamy cheese.
- Strain the excess moisture: If your tomato mixture is watery, strain out the excess moisture to prevent soggy bruschetta toasts.
Nutrition
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